Okur's reaction for Kanter's situation

As any European basketball followers guessed, Turkey eliminated from the European basketball championship and Kanter's tweets were: Hahaha and ssssh bye byes . He already had bad image for refusing NT and now he's really hated guy in the whole country. After his tweets Okur mentioned Muhammed Ali's sentence for Kanter that "Talent makes sportman famous but character makes legend. So i really wonder how would you feel if any American player were messaging like Kanter after USA eliminated from any tournament or defeated?

Che: I have got two things "freedom and death." If I can not have one, i wish to have the other; because noone is able to capture me alive

As any European basketball followers guessed, Turkey eliminated from the European basketball championship and Kanter's tweets were: Hahaha and ssssh bye byes . He already had bad image for refusing NT and now he's really hated guy in the whole country. After his tweets Okur mentioned Muhammed Ali's sentence for Kanter that "Talent makes sportman famous but character makes legend. So i really wonder how would you feel if any American player were messaging like Kanter after USA eliminated from any tournament or defeated?

It makes me sad that Kanter would tweet that. It's kind of bad juju to be like that.

But at the same time, he might not have been given an understanding reception when he said he wasn't playing on the NT. Perhaps he got a much, much more personal and angry reception with his decision. In that case, good for Kanter.

Kanter's comments are not about the country or its residents. It's a specific distaste for fenerbahce and how they handled (had a MAJOR hand in) his prevention from playing college ball. Hes sti very bitter about it. I can provide a ton of detail to this story if anyone cares.

I don't blame any Turk for being mad about this and writing him off.. I'm fairly certain I would do the same thing.

However, I don't have that emotional attachment and can take it in context. Very dumb tweets by Enes if true.. regardless.
But in Enes' mind, these same people that wanted loyalty and commitment from him stabbed him in the back and twisted the knife... with lies.

He should let it go now and certainly shouldnt publicly say anything about it... but I don't believe for one second his intention was to mock his country/cou ntrymen.

Kanter's comments are not about the country or its residents. It's a specific distaste for fenerbahce and how they handled (had a MAJOR hand in) his prevention from playing college ball. Hes sti very bitter about it. I can provide a ton of detail to this story if anyone cares.

I don't blame any Turk for being mad about this and writing him off.. I'm fairly certain I would do the same thing.

However, I don't have that emotional attachment and can take it in context. Very dumb tweets by Enes if true.. regardless.
But in Enes' mind, these same people that wanted loyalty and commitment from him stabbed him in the back and twisted the knife... with lies.

He should let it go now and certainly shouldnt publicly say anything about it... but I don't believe for one second his intention was to mock his country/cou ntrymen.

Good insight. Forget about it Kanter and I know you're reading this because let's be honest, Who doesn't? You are a Jazzman know and are where you are wanted. Brush that off and lets get this party started!

Share it. Offseason is so dull. I lust for some entertainment/tragedy.

Here's some highlights. There's much more, but this summarizes things fairly well.

Fenerbahce offers Enes a pro contract. Enes turns it down and told them, specifically, that he wished to maintain his amateur status so he could play college basketball.
This didn't go over well with his Turkish team and they upped the ante on the contract and was told the same thing, again, by Enes.

Enes' dad, Mehmet, is a wealthy and very smart guy and tried his best to insulate Enes from any unintentional mishaps that could be detrimental to his amateur status.

The NCAA allows players in Europe to be paid, but the payments must be for reimbursements of 'normal' travel/living expenses and education costs. So Mehmet maintained meticulous notes and accounted for every single penny of the money. So, initially, the NCAA felt Enes had maintained his amateur status (having declined a pro contract worth millions and kept records of how the money was spent.

Enter Fenerbahce and a phone call to Pete Thamel of the New York Times. In an interview the team claimed that Enes violated NCAA rules by paying for educational expenses directly rather than having the team pay the costs and be reimbursed by Enes/Mehmet. This was in fact a violation, but Mehmet insists that Fenerbahce refused to pay the costs and be reimbursed and he claimed he had no idea that this was a violation. The NCAA was fairly sensitive to an international kid that was clearly trying to do everything the right way, but fell a little short of following the absolute letter of the law.. and seemed willing to bend.

Enter Fenerbahce, again. This time Pete Thamel is told that Mehmet is lying and that Enes was paid $100,000 or more per year that was not being disclosed. Mehmet promptly turned over all of his records including the ONLY bank account that was ever provided to Fenerbahce for payments. Nothing reflecting what Fenerbahce had claimed.

The NCAA then makes a request for records to Fenerbahce and are denied access. Then the NCAA, just as in the DRose case puts the burden of proof back on Enes to prove he DIDN'T receive additional benefits (which of course you cannot do and is completely retarded).

Enes was supremely pissed throughout and got very very bitter about them and once said, "I'm not a ****ing slave."

Kanter's comments are not about the country or its residents. It's a specific distaste for fenerbahce and how they handled (had a MAJOR hand in) his prevention from playing college ball. Hes sti very bitter about it. I can provide a ton of detail to this story if anyone cares.

I don't blame any Turk for being mad about this and writing him off.. I'm fairly certain I would do the same thing.

However, I don't have that emotional attachment and can take it in context. Very dumb tweets by Enes if true.. regardless.
But in Enes' mind, these same people that wanted loyalty and commitment from him stabbed him in the back and twisted the knife... with lies.

He should let it go now and certainly shouldnt publicly say anything about it... but I don't believe for one second his intention was to mock his country/cou ntrymen.

Nope it's all about the NT. Is there a coincidence that he wrote it all after the matches or tournament ended for Turkey? Yea he had problem with the coach and federation but nonetheless no way anyone can tweet childish things. So i am really worried about his attitude whatever he achieves.

Che: I have got two things "freedom and death." If I can not have one, i wish to have the other; because noone is able to capture me alive

Message to Kanter: Make an All Star team and I'm sure all the Turks will LOVE you again.

It is not about what he does in NBA. If athletes decline to play for national country, their club or other professional success means squat for their country's fans. Example - Ilgauskas had very good career in NBA, was ALL-star and yet he never played a single game for Lithuania after he started playing in NBA - thus Lithuanian fans did not LOVE him at all and he was called numerous names in press like "traitor","liar", etc.
Maybe it is hard for you Americans to understand but for Europeans national team success is way more important then NBA. Just the way it is.

Here's some highlights. There's much more, but this summarizes things fairly well.

Fenerbahce offers Enes a pro contract. Enes turns it down and told them, specifically, that he wished to maintain his amateur status so he could play college basketball.
This didn't go over well with his Turkish team and they upped the ante on the contract and was told the same thing, again, by Enes.

Enes' dad, Mehmet, is a wealthy and very smart guy and tried his best to insulate Enes from any unintentional mishaps that could be detrimental to his amateur status.

The NCAA allows players in Europe to be paid, but the payments must be for reimbursements of 'normal' travel/living expenses and education costs. So Mehmet maintained meticulous notes and accounted for every single penny of the money. So, initially, the NCAA felt Enes had maintained his amateur status (having declined a pro contract worth millions and kept records of how the money was spent.

Enter Fenerbahce and a phone call to Pete Thamel of the New York Times. In an interview the team claimed that Enes violated NCAA rules by paying for educational expenses directly rather than having the team pay the costs and be reimbursed by Enes/Mehmet. This was in fact a violation, but Mehmet insists that Fenerbahce refused to pay the costs and be reimbursed and he claimed he had no idea that this was a violation. The NCAA was fairly sensitive to an international kid that was clearly trying to do everything the right way, but fell a little short of following the absolute letter of the law.. and seemed willing to bend.

Enter Fenerbahce, again. This time Pete Thamel is told that Mehmet is lying and that Enes was paid $100,000 or more per year that was not being disclosed. Mehmet promptly turned over all of his records including the ONLY bank account that was ever provided to Fenerbahce for payments. Nothing reflecting what Fenerbahce had claimed.

The NCAA then makes a request for records to Fenerbahce and are denied access. Then the NCAA, just as in the DRose case puts the burden of proof back on Enes to prove he DIDN'T receive additional benefits (which of course you cannot do and is completely retarded).

Enes was supremely pissed throughout and got very very bitter about them and once said, "I'm not a ****ing slave."

Thanks.

But if Kanter had played for UK, T'Wolves would have taken him 2nd overall, leaving us Derrick Williams.

Here's some highlights. There's much more, but this summarizes things fairly well.

Fenerbahce offers Enes a pro contract. Enes turns it down and told them, specifically, that he wished to maintain his amateur status so he could play college basketball.
This didn't go over well with his Turkish team and they upped the ante on the contract and was told the same thing, again, by Enes.

Enes' dad, Mehmet, is a wealthy and very smart guy and tried his best to insulate Enes from any unintentional mishaps that could be detrimental to his amateur status.

The NCAA allows players in Europe to be paid, but the payments must be for reimbursements of 'normal' travel/living expenses and education costs. So Mehmet maintained meticulous notes and accounted for every single penny of the money. So, initially, the NCAA felt Enes had maintained his amateur status (having declined a pro contract worth millions and kept records of how the money was spent.

Enter Fenerbahce and a phone call to Pete Thamel of the New York Times. In an interview the team claimed that Enes violated NCAA rules by paying for educational expenses directly rather than having the team pay the costs and be reimbursed by Enes/Mehmet. This was in fact a violation, but Mehmet insists that Fenerbahce refused to pay the costs and be reimbursed and he claimed he had no idea that this was a violation. The NCAA was fairly sensitive to an international kid that was clearly trying to do everything the right way, but fell a little short of following the absolute letter of the law.. and seemed willing to bend.

Enter Fenerbahce, again. This time Pete Thamel is told that Mehmet is lying and that Enes was paid $100,000 or more per year that was not being disclosed. Mehmet promptly turned over all of his records including the ONLY bank account that was ever provided to Fenerbahce for payments. Nothing reflecting what Fenerbahce had claimed.

The NCAA then makes a request for records to Fenerbahce and are denied access. Then the NCAA, just as in the DRose case puts the burden of proof back on Enes to prove he DIDN'T receive additional benefits (which of course you cannot do and is completely retarded).

Enes was supremely pissed throughout and got very very bitter about them and once said, "I'm not a ****ing slave."

It's a story from 3 years ago about his former team fenerbahce. No connection between NT and Fenerbahce. True but really old story without any connection to the situation at the moment

Che: I have got two things "freedom and death." If I can not have one, i wish to have the other; because noone is able to capture me alive

Btw, EVERY single person involved in the Enes case felt he was duped and that the NCAA was highly negligent in their ruling. Jay Bilas was very vocal. Dozens of college coaches went on record that it was a terrible decision by the NCAA. And so on...

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